Volume 81, Issue 5
Governor Mike DeWine visits BBS
By Jack Treinish III
Each year, the Governor of Ohio visits American Legion Buckeye Boys State. Governor Mike DeWine previously visited as the Ohio Attorney General, but this was his first time as governor. Upon arrival, the Boys State government chanted, “USA!, USA!, USA!” The governor was impressed as he moved into his speech, opening with some information about himself. He then got political and talked about his recent budget project. He highlighted his “wrap-around” budget plan. This plan includes half a billion dollars to be spread throughout the state for early childhood development and education and also to battle the drug crisis. He then talked about his battle with the drug crisis and the drugs coming in from Mexico. He also talked about the schools of Ohio being in danger. He said, “Kids come into Kindergarten and they don’t know as much as the kid next to them.” DeWine said this would be included in his wrap-around budget. He then turned the speech to the delegates for questions. Benny Gentile asked a question about House Bill 6, the decision to eliminate the nuclear power plants of Ohio. Governor DeWine responded and discussed his plan to increase carbon-free power. “Clean energy such as wind and solar account for 4% of Ohio’s energy,” he said. DeWine later stated that nuclear energy from the plants account for 90% of the 4%. He also said it was a difficult decision because of the large amount of natural gas that has been discovered in eastern Ohio. Another compelling question was from Rory Bell, who asked about using an executive order to raise more money for the veterans of Ohio. Governor DeWine said that might not work because, “money often goes through the legislative branch.” He did say that he loves the veterans and is trying to make it easier for veterans to move to Ohio. “Ohio needs leaders,” he said. DeWine talked about a bill that would help nurses who are the spouses of the veterans move their license from one state to Ohio. Hetuck reporters were then able to see
Thursday, June 13th, 2019 Governor DeWine afterwards and ask a few questions. When asked, “What do you want the delegates to take away from the speech today?” he said the following: “First off, they had great questions, they may be the best group I’ve ever had. They will be great leaders.” He also said that politics can be fun, but it is what you make it. Also, he said that you don’t have to be a politician to make a difference, you can do it as a normal citizen. DeWine was also asked, “What advice would you like to give to delegates wishing to hold a job in government?” He responded by recommending to volunteer for a campaign because, “people love free work.” There is no risk if someone volunteers and is able to work for free, but everybody has political influence — politicians or private citizens. This can be as simple as voting and staying informed. When asked about the relationship between the American Legion Buckeye Boys State and the Ohio Government, he said, “The veterans have carried this on for many years.” Sadly, DeWine did not get the chance to go to Boys State, but has still made a great career in government. He thinks Boys State provides people with great opportunities. The final question asked was, “What keeps you coming back to Boys State?” He responded, “I like learning from the young people.” By surrounding himself with young people, he is able to better grasp the issues in the state. Governor DeWine understands the struggles and needs of the younger generation.
Governer Mark DeWine Talking to delegates about the importance of Eduction Photo by A ndrew Fogt
2 The Hetuck
Advice from the BBS College Fair By John Nelson Not only does Buckeye Boys State allow delegates to be informed of valuable information in the world of government and politics, it also offers details about many colleges and their requirements to get accepted into prestigious universities. Delegates are also told what colleges look for in rising seniors. This event is known as the College Fair and it was held Thursday. But that wasn’t the only thing great event that happened that day, as Dave Dobos, an MIT representative, came to BBS and talked to many delegates about college and its many aspects, he also was the representative for MIT at the college fair. This useful advice from Dave Dobos included methods involving how to prepare for college during high school, how to look for a college, how to apply to college, and what criteria colleges use in offering admission, financial aid, and final selection. If someone missed the meeting, they were in luck. As Dave Dobos said, the two most important things were that delegates need to find the best college for themselves and that when filling out one's application, it’s essential to include all important things about a delegates’ life. When it comes to the College Fair, 90 universities came to Buckeye Boys State to tell delegates about the requirements to be admitted to their schools. Two of the most popular universities there were Ohio State University (OSU) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). An OSU Representative by the name of Nathaniel Knight III was asked about what the university looks for in upcoming applicants and he said that OSU looks for a good storyteller, someone that shows this quality through their essay and
someone that’s willing to contribute to their community for the betterment of it. Dave Dobos discussed what MIT looks for in upcoming applicants, MIT looks for students that are very smart, especially in math, but that can also do elite level work with other students and signs that they’d be able to thrive in that type of atmosphere. Kyle Mehaffey was a delegate at both lines for these colleges and when questioned about why he thought many delegates were at these two colleges, he mentioned that OSU is the university many people like in Ohio because of the Buckeyes history and how it’s the biggest college in this great state. Kyle then explained that so many people were at MIT because it’s being an Ivy League school, making it a dream of some delegates to attend MIT and show they’re the best of the best and want to change the world. In conclusion, the College fair was a great way to show and inform the delegates of BBS about life after high school.
College Representatives from Huntington University talking to Delegates about potential opportunities. Photo by Andrew Fogt
The Hetuck 3
Legislation Frustration By Gabe Wagner The Buckeye Boys State House of Representatives and Senate are in full operation and antics have ensued. In the House, Bill #6 seeks to lessen jurisdiction of all law enforcement on members of the general assembly, the sergeant at arms, the legislative commission service and general assembly clerks. In my opinion, house representatives seem to think they’re above the law and can do what they want with this bill. It seems to be selfishly motivated, but the outcome is uncertain. In regards to the Senate, proceedings got a little heated and discourse followed. Senate Bill #1 sought to force high schools to pick valedictorians and salutatorians. Senators were immediately repulsed by the bill, addressing how this matter is up to the school board and that the law is foolish for the Senate to create. The bill crashed and burned to the ground after a vote with one affirmative “yay,” 26 demanding “nays” one senator didn’t vote due to absence. A Senator also proposed a bill to increase the maximum jail time to 45 minutes and the minimum to 10 minutes. This proposition was faced instantly with large support but also some opposition. One opponent to the bill claimed 45 minutes was too long to stand in jail. Another senator fired back “if you can’t stand for 45 minutes you seriously need to be checked out.” It’s clear to say tensions were tight in the House and Senate today. Another amusing moment occurred in the Basler city government in Mcquigg county, Balser city has banned the drink La Croix, a flavored sparkling water, from the city indefinitely. The reason for this is because the city counselor, Alex Hasapis, is known for always having this drink at city meetings. The city grew tired of the obsessive possession and consumption of the beverage, and even though the bill is being heavily enforced by the police chief, Hasapis claimed to have a great lawyer and plans to find multiple loopholes in the bill. Buckeye Boys State Legislation is proving to be amusing in many ways and delegates cannot wait for more.
Delegates and Recreation By Logan Davis While attending American Legion Buckeye Boys State, there is a big emphasis on staying busy. Whether you are at work or attending city meetings, delegates are always doing something. But what do you have when you do not have directions to follow, a meeting to rush to or rules from a counselor to follow? The answer is called recreation time. Recreation time is something that both the delegates and counselors at Boys State cannot wait for. It’s time to relax and relieve stress. Some citizens spend their time taking a nap or going on a four-mile run some even build suits of armor from cardboard. Hailing from White County and Bishop City, Edward Kibe has spent his downtime doing something that no one else has done: building armor. “I create more armor and improve the physique of the helmet, swords, and armor for fun.” So far, he’s made a spartan-esque helmet, a greatsword and a small dagger. When asked why he started building the armor, he replied: “I made the helmet after Austin (another resident of Bishop) put cardboard over his face and said it would make a cool mask.” After this, Eddy got the idea to take the leftover campaign material and use it as the basis for his suit of armor. Alternatively, some citizens have taken a more conventional approach to spending free time. Multiple people have decided to make use of the ping -pong and pool tables on the ground floor of Withrow hall now that campaigns are done and all the cardboard and paper from campaigning has been removed from the tables. When asked why they’ve chosen ping -pong over different forms of recreation, lots of people, including Tai H. Tran, said that “It’s easy to start a tournament with. Now we can have everyone play in kind of the same game, so nobody gets left out.” “It’s inside, and it’s a non-strenuous game that takes a little bit of skill to play,” delegate Noah Weaver said These activities allow for a creative and entertaining form of releasing stress, and lots of people enjoy not only participating, but even just watching others play. This also reflects the culture of the hundreds of delegates that inhabit the campus for these eight days. However the delegates choose to spend their recreation time, it can help form relationships that will last a lifetime.
4 The Hetuck
Lessons From the Life of Justice Kennedy By Noah Lowery Every summer, American Legion Buckeye Boys State receives the amazing opportunity to hear speeches from some of the most highly respected officials in Ohio. One such orator is Justice Sharon Kennedy of the Ohio Supreme Court who shared some personal experiences with us before addressing the rest of the delegates Wednesday night. Growing up, Justice Kennedy never attended any similar programs to Buckeye Boys State, and she found her judicial inspiration from other sources. “When I was ten years old, I decided then and there that I wanted to serve as a police officer all because of TV and the nobility I saw in characters such as Pete Malloy,'' Justice Kennedy said when asked about the spark that led her to the courtroom. However, the road wasn’t always as cinematic as the television. The first to attend college in her family, Kennedy often doubted her capability to attend law school. She believed that it was meant only for “children of doctors and lawyers themselves from affluent families, which I was not.” In light of this personal doubt, Justice Kennedy holds a high school teacher responsible for relieving any question of her pursuits, telling her “Sharon, you can do more than law enforcement, you can be a lawyer or a judge someday.” She planed the seeds which eventually grew into a judicial career. With a clear ambition and Hamilton County law enforcement experience under her belt, Justice Kennedy graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 1991. After passing the Bar Exam, she began practicing law while simultaneously attending
the Young Republicans Club where she met then Speaker of the House for the United States, John Boehner. Kennedy attributes her political aspirations to volunteering on Boehner’s campaign where she learned “the process of politics, building relationships, running campaigns, and about what it all means.” After running and winning the race for a trial court judgeship in 1998, Justice Kennedy stayed there for 14 years until 2012 when she met with the Republican party of Ohio who endorsed her for a spot on the Ohio Supreme Court. Beating a governor’s appointee with 58% of the vote, she has been on the bench to protect our republic ever since and has no plans on slowing down. In all of your pursuits, no matter what they may be, Justice Kennedy advises to heed to lessons of legionnaires, and of course to “work hard, have fun, enjoy your time, and live the legionnaire way: for God and country.”
Political Cartoon
By James Koehler JR